Iran says identifies, detains U.S., Israeli spies (Isn't this a declaration of war?)

[iconoclastic cat]

Seriously, this scares the crap out of me:

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-02-08T173228Z_01_BLA859610_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAN-SPYING.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C1-topNews-6">Iran says identifies, detains U.S., Israeli spies

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's intelligence minister said Iran had identified 100 people he described as U.S. and Israeli agents and said some were arrested trying to leave Iran to attend "spying" courses abroad, state TV reported on Thursday.

Iran's highest authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has previously warned about a "velvet revolution", a supposed U.S. plot to use intellectuals and others inside the country to bring about "regime change".

Intelligence Minister Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei was quoted by state television as saying Iran had "identified 100 American and Israeli spies at the Iranian border. They were planning to obtain military and political information within Iran."

He did not give any nationalities and it was not clear to which border point he referred, but several Iranian activists and journalists in recent weeks have been detained or barred from leaving Iran at airports on the way to courses abroad.

[Mandate My Ass]

1. Ruh roh

This is not good. :scared: :nuke:

[sinkingfeeling]

2. What? If they are detaining Iranian activist who may be spying for a foreign

agency, how do you get a declaration of war? We, the USA, do it all the time.

[Tempest]

3. No more a declaration of war

Than the U.S. detaining the Iranian diplomats in Iraq.

[Kagemusha]

4. Exactly.

And spying absent of war is considered criminal, not military.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. Indeed on progressives and liberals in Iran

I don't buy the spying story. The mullahs are afraid of a velvet revolution, the people refusing to follow the hard liners and islamic fundie decrees. By calling those who oppose them spies, they can get rid of them.

[AngryAmish]

6. Purge